5 Management Zingers: Vol. 5 No. 6

Here are 5 Management Zingers - Some of the best leadership and management articles from the WEB during the past week. If you want to go directly to the post or article, click on the title at the front of each zinger.

Monolithic and Holographic Organizations by Chris Bailey on the Alchemy of Soulful Work is a must read for all of us to think of our organizations with a fresh metaphor that captures work and organizations in 2008. In fact, I recommend that you read the article a few times, assess how well you organization is doing, and then remember that you are the organization:

Rather than viewing an organization as a bland, uniform, static structure, consider the organization as a hologram. Within a holographic image, each section contains a complete image of the original object. So the real beauty of the holographic perspective is acknowledging that the organization is a vibrant collection of all the individuals within it. It recognizes that each individual is fully reflected in the whole. The organization is the individual and the individual is the organization. The interests of each individual and the organization are interconnected and interdependent.

What really matters? by Jodee Bock gives you an opportunity to look at your responses - questions and statements.

Let’s get creative in our questioning - and then listen to the answers. Together we can build new awareness of what really does matter, and what really doesn’t matter so much.

Tom Peter’s Cool Friend Interview with Tom Crossland. Tom Crossland has done a lot of leadership education and wrote the book The Leader’s Voice: How Your Communication Can Inspire Action and Get Results! This is a very down-to-earth look at leadership:

People assume that because it’s a new generation, new techniques are required. There are no studies that I can find to support that idea. We keep hoping that it’s true because we’d like to think that we live in a new age. The reality is that what people expect in leadership and what leadership demands are probably timeless and ageless. What we need are better methodologies for developing it in people. That’s really where the emphasis and research ought to be.

“Positive Abnormality” - Be a GENIUS by discovering your Speciality, Uniqueness, and Meaning is an article by Timothy So.  It is okay to be “abnormal” and strive to be a genius at work. Here is So’s points about being a genius and having social impact as a genius or a manager:

And what does it take to become a genius? Gassandro and Simonton probably give the best definition of “genius” in their paper, “Creativity and genius” (2003): 1) A genius is someone who possesses unique or distinctly characteristic creative ideas or behaviors – uniqueness. 2) A genius is an individual with social impact – when the genius’ thoughts, idea, or products have a tremendous impact on the social environment, ranging from the other members of the individual’s field to the society as a whole. 3) A genius is someone who has a high quality of intellectual power where intellectual power or importance brings positive social impact.

Forget Balance: Work, Life And The Surprising Secrets Of Happiness by Lisa Earle McLeod was recommended by Carmine Coyote of Slow Leadership. Carmine was right it was a very good article to read, here is a short snippet and then go read the article for yourself:

The problem isn’t lack of balance. It’s that we’ve sub-divided our lives into a series of endless to-dos that hold no meaning for us whatsoever. The truth is, balance isn’t a strategy, it’s a tactic, and a reactive one at that. And you don’t create success or happiness with tactics. Think about it. Do you know anyone who achieved nirvana by mastering the art of the Franklin Planner?

Complied by David Zinger, M.Ed.